Bedside Manner
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: "I would never let anything happen to you, Liv." "You promise?" Olivia lands in the hospital, and Elliot makes a promise, one he has always tried to keep.


After finishing a more depressing story, SVUProductions and I decided we needed to write something sweet 'n fluffy. And this popped up! Enjoy, and please review!

Disclaimer: Not ours!

SVUSVUSVUSVUSVUSVUSVU

Elliot Stabler was running later for work than usual, and he swore at everything under the sun. Yesterday his divorce from his wife of more than twenty years became finalized, and he had been in a foul mood since then. He trudged into the squadroom, expecting to see his partner at her desk. She always arrived before he did, so he was surprised when he saw no sign of her. He went to the captain's office and knocked. "Cap?"

Cragen waved him in. "What's wrong, Elliot?"

"Olivia isn't here yet."

"She called in." He closed the file in front of him. "She said she wasn't feeling well."

Elliot's brow furrowed. Olivia never called in, even when she was sick. Something had to be seriously wrong. "Mind if I go check on her?"

Cragen shrugged. "Go ahead." He knew Elliot well enough to know that he wouldn't work well knowing Olivia was at home sick.

"Thanks." He hurried back out of the squadroom and down to his car. What could be wrong with Olivia? Whatever it was, it must be bad. He had to resist putting on his lights as he drove to her apartment building.

Finally he arrived, and he barely remembered to pull his keys out of the ignition before he hopped out of the car. Slamming the door, he hurried into the building and rushed upstairs. He found her door easily, and he pulled out the spare key she had given him in case of emergencies. "Olivia?" He knocked loudly on her door.

Olivia heard the door open, but didn't call out. She leaned her head over the toilet and emptied the contest of her stomach into it. "Ugh," she moaned.

"Olivia?" He closed the door behind himself and looked around the apartment. He heard a noise come from down the hall, and he hurried toward it. "Liv?"

"In here," she called softly. She began to heave again. Her stomach hurt like hell. She heard Elliot's frantic footsteps in the hallway.

He finally found her hunched over the toilet, and he let out a soft sigh. "Are you okay?" He grabbed a cloth and turned on the cold water.

"Just a stomach bug," she said weakly.

He wrung the cloth out, then knelt down behind Olivia and held the cool cloth to her forehead.

Olivia closed her eyes at the cool sensation. "I'll be fine."

He gently placed the back of his hand against her cheek. "You have a fever."

Olivia groaned slightly and clutched her stomach in pain.

His brow furrowed. "Where does it hurt, Liv?" His voice was gentle and soothing.

"It's okay," she said through gritted teeth, her eyes closed tightly.

He had a sneaking suspicion, and he placed his hand over the lower right side of her abdomen. "Right there?"

Olivia winced in pain and nodded slowly.

"Okay, I'm taking you to the hospital." He slipped his arm around her waist and helped her stand. "Just lean on me..."

Olivia groaned as she rose unsteadily. She leaned heavily on Elliot, clutching his arm as if it were a lifeline.

He held her securely, secretly relishing the close proximity. "Here we go..." He led her out of the bathroom, grabbing her purse for her before he took her downstairs. Once they reached his car, he opened the front door and helped her into the passenger's seat. "It's going to be okay." He buckled her in, then pulled his jacket off and gently tucked it around her.

Olivia leaned against the seat. She closed her eyes and moaned softly. "Oww."

"I know," he soothed, gently brushing her hair back. "We'll be at the hospital in a minute." He carefully shut the door, then hurried to the driver's side and got in.

Olivia barely noticed the car ride due to the searing pain in her abdomen. "This hurts," she whispered.

He freed a hand and squeezed her hand. "It's going to be okay." As soon as they got to the hospital, he jumped out of the car and hurried to her side, throwing the door open. "We're here, Olivia." He unbuckled the seatbelt, then gently scooped her up in his arms. He didn't want to run the risk of her collapsing before they got inside.

Olivia weakly wrapped her arms around his neck. The burning pain continued to tear through her abdomen. "El.."

"Shh..." He walked into the ER and up to the front desk. "I think my partner has appendicitis," he told the nurse as calmly as he could.

Olivia's head was spinning. "I'm dizzy," she mumbled.

He softly shushed her as the nurse placed a clipboard in front of him. "I need you to fill this out." She motioned for a wheelchair to be brought over.

Elliot hesitated, then carefully placed Olivia in the wheelchair. Then he grabbed the clipboard and followed the nurse as she wheeled Olivia away. "I'm going with her."

"Sir..."

He glared at the nurse. Normally he was understanding about this kind of thing, but not when it came to his partner.

Olivia was wheeled into an exam room and helped onto the bed, and Elliot stayed by her head as a doctor looked her over. "She's been vomiting, running a fever, and she's complaining of pain in the right side of her abdomen."

The doctor nodded as he lifted Olivia's shirt and gently pressed against her inflamed appendix. "Does that hurt?"

Olivia flinched. "Yes," she whimpered, clinging to Elliot's hand tightly.

Elliot stroked her hand with his thumb, murmuring soothingly to her.

The doctor pulled down her shirt. "Her appendix is definitely inflamed. There's a risk of it rupturing, so I want to get your wife into surgery right away."

Elliot nodded. He had gone through this with Maureen, Kathleen and Dickie.

The doctor smiled at Olivia. "I'll be right back, and we'll get you prepped for surgery." He left the exam room.

Elliot let out a heavy breath and squeezed Olivia's hand.

"Surgery?" Olivia whispered.

He gently brushed her hair back and smiled reassuringly. "To get your appendix out. All of my kids, except Lizzie, have gone through this." He gently stroked her forehead with his thumb. "It's short, and you'll be out of here in two or three days."

Olivia didn't let go of her partner's hand. "Two or three days _here_?"

He let out a soft chuckle. "Yes. Then you'll be home for a few days, maybe a week, before you can go back to work."

Olivia groaned softly and lay a hand over her abdomen.

"I'd rather get this done and go home."

"You will." He hesitated. "Liv..."

The doctor came back into the exam room with several orderlies and a wheelchair. "Okay, Ms. Benson. Are you ready?"

Olivia clutched onto Elliot's hand more tightly and looked into his eyes. "I guess," she mumbled.

The orderlies helped Olivia into the chair, and Elliot hurried to her side, taking her hand again. "You're going to be fine, Olivia."'

Olivia forced a smile, but it was chased away by the pained wince that followed. "See you," she whispered.

He leaned over and pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'll be waiting for you."

Olivia was startled at the gentle kiss, but was silent other than a few pained groans as the orderlies took her back.

He sighed as they took her from the exam room, and once she was gone, he pulled out his phone and called his captain. After telling him that he wouldn't be coming back, he drew in a cleansing breath and dialed his former wife's number.

"Yes?" Kathy asked, her greeting flat.

He closed his eyes. "Kathy, I know today's Friday, but I'm not going to be able to pick up Dickie and Lizzie from school."

"Why not?"

"Olivia has to have surgery."

"And?" Kathy demanded.

"And? Kathy, my partner is having surgery, and I'm her NOK. I need to be here with her." He went into the nearest waiting room. "Please, do this for me."

"Fine," Kathy snapped. She slammed the phone shut.

He closed his phone and sat down with a weary sigh. Twenty minutes later, someone else walked into the waiting room. He opened his eyes and was surprised to see Munch and Fin entering the room. "What are you guys doing here?"

Munch took off his sunglasses. "Olivia is having surgery. How could we not be here?"

Elliot nodded. "Good point."

Fin leaned against the wall, not speaking. He was worried about Olivia, even though an appendectomy was a more routine surgery.

The three men slipped into silence, speaking only occasionally about Olivia or work.

That evening, Olivia's doctor finally walked into the waiting room, and all three men got to their feet. "Are you all here for Olivia Benson?"

"Yes," they chorused.

He noticed their shields and guns, and he nodded. "Ms. Benson is going to be just fine. Her appendix was inflamed, and may have been a problem if she had gotten here any later." He looked at his clipboard. "Are any of you Elliot?"

Elliot stepped forward. "That's me."

He smiled at the concerned man. "Good. She's been asking for you. Come with me."

Elliot looked at Munch and Fin, who both nodded.

"We'll get back to work. Tell baby girl we'll come see her tomorrow," Fin murmured.

"I will." Elliot followed the doctor out of the waiting room.

He led Elliot upstairs. "The anesthesia hasn't quite worn off yet, so she might be a little out of it until tomorrow."

Elliot nodded. He was just happy that he would see her.

The doctor stopped in front of Olivia's door, and Elliot didn't wait. He went straight into the room. "Liv...?"

"El!" she gasped.

He rushed over to her, thinking something was wrong. "Are you okay?" He looked her over.

"I'm fine," she said.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." Absently he touched her arm before sitting in the chair by her bed.

Olivia smiled slightly. "I've been waiting for you."

"I know. I came as soon as they let me," he said apologetically.

"Can I go home?"

He shook his head. "Not tonight, Liv."

Olivia frowned. "I have to."

He noticed the urgent expression on her face, and he humored her. "Why?"

"I left the kitchen lights on," Olivia said, very seriously.

He smiled. "I'll call Munch and ask him to turn them off."

"No," she said.

"Why not?"

"His shoes may be dirty. He'll track mud!" Olivia rolled her eyes as if it were obvious.

"Oh. I'll tell him to take his shoes off."

"What if his socks make him slip and he sues me?"

He studied her intently. "Do you want me to do it?"

Olivia shook her head fiercely. "No. You're staying here."

He chuckled. "Then try not to worry about your lights, Liv."

"But my bill will go up," she whined. She stuck her bottom lip out.

The face she made made him chuckle. "I'll pay the difference."

"You will?" Olivia asked innocently.

"Of course." He gave her a reassuring grin.

"Then in that case it's really gonna go up."

He laughed again. "You're not in any pain, are you, Liv?"

She smiled. "No."

"Good." He leaned forward and gently tucked the hospital-issued blanket tighter around her waist, careful to avoid her side.

"Don't make me get stuck," she warned.

"I would never let anything happened to you, Olivia."

"You promise?"

He met her eyes. "I promise."

"You better." She blinked her eyes lazily and yawned.

He stood up and pressed a button to lower the bed until she was lying down. "I'd never let anything happen," he murmured, adjusting the pillow under her head.

Olivia stretched and smiled. "I'm sleepy." She chuckled faintly.

"I'm sure you are." He gently pulled the blanket up to her chin. "Close your eyes."

Olivia closed her eyes. "Night night," she whispered.

He hesitated a moment, then leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Good night, Olivia."

Olivia intertwined her fingers with his.

Almost hoping she wouldn't remember, and half hoping that she would, he brought their fingers up to his mouth. Then he kissed her knuckles affectionately.

Olivia smiled, then let sleep take over her. The smile stayed on her face as she slept soundly.

He sat back down, then started to pull his hand away. But her grip was tight, even in sleep. So he pulled his chair closer to the bed and closed his eyes, keeping his tight grip on her hand as he dozed off as well.

The End!

A/N: Hehehehe, so fluffy. But we figured you readers would enjoy the fluff, and we certainly enjoyed writing it! Thanks for reading, and please review!


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